#17 - Rolling Project - How a childhood project car became a bespoke motoring brand and why print still matters in a digital first car culture
Some people restore cars. Ben turns them into stories you can hold in your hands. From hand-built Triumphs and a battle-worn Nova to rare military vehicles and steam-era machinery, he reveals why the best motoring projects are never really "finished" and how that obsession became Rolling Project.
Ben, the petrol-headed creative behind Rolling Project, grew up in garages, rally lanes, and hospitals, where cars became more than a hobby - they became an escape, a connection to family, and eventually a business built around print, photography, and deeply personal storytelling. In this conversation, he shares how a childhood spent learning mechanics on his father’s Triumph shaped everything that followed, why he still believes old machines have a soul, and how a love of typography, editorial design, and textures turned into bespoke car brochures and collector books.
You'll discover:
- How Rolling Project evolved from an Instagram page called Coido into a print-led creative brand
- Why Ben insists on using the owner’s voice, not his own, in every article
- The difference between a generic print and a bespoke booklet built around a specific car’s history, age-correct design, and story
- How he researches rare vehicles, from Plymouth Belvederes to an armored vehicle found in a French scrapyard
- Why Welsh motoring culture, rallying, and local hubs like Pembrey, Baffle House, and Ignition Shed matter so much to the community
Ben also opens up about the realities behind the work - the endless proofreading, pricing pressure, and challenge of proving the value of real design in an age of AI and instant content. But he makes a convincing case for why physical print still matters, especially when it captures emotion, identity, and the full journey of a build.
If you care about classic cars, rally culture, creative entrepreneurship, or the power of making something tangible in a digital world, this one is packed with stories, honesty, and hard-won perspective. Essential listening for car people, designers, and anyone who believes the best projects are the ones with a heartbeat.https://www.instagram.com/rollingproject_/
https://www.rolling-project.com/
